Apparatus for cutting block of chocolate or the like

ABSTRACT

A TUBULAR HOUSING HAVING FIXED BLADES IN THE BOTTOM THEREOF, A ROTATABLE, NONCYLINDRICAL BARREL WITHIN SAID HOUSING HAVING A FOLLOWER THEREIN FOR ROTATING SAID BARREL AND ALSO FOR URGING A BLOCK OF MATERIAL INTO CONTACT WITH SAID BLADES.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leighton ll. Cooney [56] References Cited 1042 Cherokee Road, Wilmette, Ill. 60091 UNTED STATES PATENTS [21] P 7959 1,025,513 5/1912 Craven 146/60 [22] 1 518 676 12/1924 Serre 146/60 45] Patented Jan. 5,1971 l 2,627,377 2/1953 Fletcher l46/l25X I 1 Primary ExaminerWillie G. Abercrombie [54] APPARATUS FOR CUTTING BLOCK OF Ammey 5mn1ey Hoods CHOCOLATE OR THE LIKE 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

241/95, 241 /274 ABSTRACT: A tubular housing having fixed blades in the bot- [51] Int. Cl. ..B02c 18/00, tom thereof, a rotatable, noncylindrical barrel within said I B02c 19/20 housing having a follower therein for rotating said barrel and [50] Field of Search 146/60, also for urging a block of material into contact with said blades.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING BLOCK OF CHOCOLATE OR THE LlKE I This invention relates to a novel and improved apparatus for cutting a block of chocolate or the like into smaller pieces or shav s It isan important object 'of this invention-to provide a chocolate shaving apparatus which is simple in construction a qqas w'u e I Other objects are to provide an article of the'character indicated that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy andwhich ishighly efficient inoperatiom 1 with these and other objects in view, as will. apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specificationiandjcovered by the claims which are appended hereto.

The character of the invention, howevenfmay be best understood by reference to one of: its structural formsas illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view. of'a'shavingv apparatus for chocolate or the like embodying the principlesof thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged axial cross-sectional view of the article shown in FIG. 1, with portions thereofinelevation.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line31-3 of FIG. 2. w FIG. 4 is a similarview taken along line.,4-i=4gjof'FlGj. 2:

FIGv Sis a fragmentary enlarged: viewoflthebladeshowing; its shaving action on a block of chocolate when applied thereto. I Y

Asshown in the drawings, theapparatusof this invention includes an. outertubularho'using l0:of wood; synthetic resin or otherisuitable material The housing. ;;is preferably :of such size. and shape asto allow the. fingers ofethe, hand of a, person operatingthe-apparatus to be comfortably flexed into holding P t on, out, he aterw k fthehousi s. elower n of the housing, 10 is v provided 'with a,relatively short tubular exhousing 10 opposite theretof'while occupyingsa'id work engaging area' of the barrel 19, the block of chocolate 18 is tension 1:1which-isexternally threaded as at; l2 gtogprovide-for interrneshing,engagement with internal. threads 13;; defining the inner surface of the lower. endpf the housingfiwhereby said extension, 1 1 is readily .appl iedte-or detached 'omv the ,hous-,.

ing 10.- A downwardly ,faeing shoulde'r -l4;at tthe,lower end of" thehousing .1 0 and the surfacl e oflthe-extensionll facing said shoulder .cooperate to clamp a ,metaldisc ,15;in fixedposition across the ope'n areapf the housing ltliwhere itjoinstheextension 11 when-thelatt is jnfullyupwardly'tumed positionqusing} The disc--15 completely on thev threaded}; of. th q es f e ni endpft ehousinsf ci sti l extension 11 ex. L lq sated open nsslfi m di t e se y n s ercdan woundi -sa d r. re aw i. l aq. chocglate l8,fac ing. d blad es hayeengagementto shave saidleckwhent e l t ,i srt med abeut-ah. ax s P ght tion to saiddiselfi 1 g i Means for so propeliing a blockof chocolate vj18 against said.

bent upwardly from the area of the ings The edges; oil the tongues 17' tlou with iwhichj a 1 block; of

flth tiq r nou m teria on heti i bl s mp s t lcrosssectional ,con- 2118mm: ppe n s .qhavesliding engage ment with. said the housinggfl opposite.

theretosoas to c ontrol r otat io n of. thebarrel =19frlative. to'the 4 ousin s 't i irely -fixed;;t xi .rc in en w the uprightaxisofthehousing- 1min pen area, -withinthe'barrell9 is of, uniform, multisided-= cross-sectioriial contour throughout.thefull lengthahereo so as to define a workengaging areaat its;lower,;end.effectiye.tohaveJdrivingcontact with a" hlockoflchocolate 8: contained thereinwhile the barrel is rotated relativeto. I rims. 21 and 22 of the barrel fi and thewinner surface 1 of the qus n w t pathdefine -by the 5 forced against the blades 16a under downward pressure applied by a plug 23 having entrance to the interior of the barrel 19 via the upper end of the barrel. The plug 23 is a multisided cross-sectional contour matching that of the interior of the barrel 19 so as to cause the latter to be rotated in response to rotation of the plug. The plug is preferably of synthetic resinous composition. Such rotation of the plug 23 is facilitated by a knob 24 defined by anupward extension of the plug which occupies a position above the'confines of the barrel l9. lt will be noted that pressure against a block of chocolate 18 confined below the end wall 25 of the plug 23 is available until a shoulder at the base of the knob 24 is in downward engagement with the upper rim of the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the dimension of the plug'23. measured along the axis of rotation of the barrel 19 is so'restricted as to provide ample work containing space between the end wall of the plug and the blades [60 while also allowing advance movement of the plug a distance sufficient to assure shaving action on'substantially the total quantity of the chocolate block l8'duri'n'g'rotation of the'barrel While thus'undergoing shaving action as the chocolate block is turned against the blades 16a the shavings are allowed to discharge downwardly through" the openings-1'6 in the disc 15;

in some embodiments'of thisinvention the cross-sectional contour of the barrel andplug-may beof multisidedshape otherthan'thesquarelike design shown in thedrawings.

While the present invention has thus been 'described'with a specificembodimenvthereof, itshould-be understood'that 'the invention is not limited thereto. Alternative modifications of the present invention will'be-apparent from the above description to those skilled in the'art'andsuch modificationsare-con sidered within'the scope and spiritof the present invention 'even thoughthey may not'literally be covered by the language" of the claims hereof.

l claim: 1.. Apparatus forcutting-a-block'of chocolate or'the' like into smaller pieces or shavings including 'a-barrel having an internal wall area of multisided cross-sectional contourand external wall-portionsat opposite ends thereof of uniform'cylindri'cal contour, an outer tubular housing. in which said -barrel member is receivable, intemal wall areas of said'housing .hav-

ing-cylindrical surfaces 'withwhichI-said cylindrical external" wall portions-ofsaidbarrel'have rotary sliding-engagement about: a relatively fixed axis coincident with the axis of said withinsaid :tubular. housing, means for rotating :said barrel relative-to said-housingincluding a plughaving interfitting' em" gagement with said internal wall 'area of said barrel'aridhavmg an end wall facing said discto providea w'ork containing' space between.- saidend @wall and s aid disc an opening-insaiddisc definedby a tongue sheared and bentfrom said disc=' inthe direction-of said .workingrspace, said tongue havin'gfa h 'r penededgerforming a blade :againstwhich a block" oficho late occupying: said -working'ispace and jenga'gin'g' the wash the barrel sfacing said working space has engagement 'to cutandrshavesaid block of chocolate while the barrel under oesrotation undercontrolof-said plug '"and said plug is pressed 'if against'said' chocolate block','said opening'in thedi's cprovid ing an exit for the shavings so produced by said bidder 2. Apparatus according toclaim "1 wherein 'said'liousing' is providedwithanextensiondetachably joined .to said housing and said disc :is clamped between saidzh'ousing and a surface of the extension'facingsaid housing whenjoiried .to said housing 1 3.Apparatus according to claim 1 whereinsaid housing is of such external size and shape' as to allowthe fingersof the hand of'a person operating said apparatus to'be 'comfoi'tablyflexed' "into holding position aboutthe outer wall of the housingf 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said internal area of the barrel is of squarelik cross-sectional contour.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said barrel and plug are of synthetic resinous material. 

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with an extension detachably joined to said housing and said disc is clamped between said housing and a surface of the extension facing said housing when joined to said housing.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing is of such external size and shape as to allow the fingers of the hand of a person operating said apparatus to be comfortably flexed into holding position about the outer wall of the housing.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plug is provided with an operating knob which occupies a position above the confines of said barrel while the latter is in operative position within said housing.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said internal area of the barrel is of squarelike cross-sectional contour.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said barrel and plug are of synthetic resinous material. 